Best Baked Penne With Cheddar And Leeks Recipes

Baked Penne with Farmhouse Cheddar and Leeks image

Provided by Rick Rodgers

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
5 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 5 large)
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3 1/2 cups whole milk
1 pound extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 4 cups packed)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 large eggs
1 pound penne pasta

Steps:

Lightly butter 15x10x2-inch baking dish. Melt 1/4 cup butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks; stir to coat. Cover saucepan and cook until leeks are tender, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes (do not brown). Uncover saucepan; add flour. Stir 2 minutes. Add milk; bring to simmer, stirring often. Add cheese, mustard, and pepper sauce. Stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat. Season cheese sauce to taste with salt.
Whisk eggs in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in 1 cup cheese sauce. Stir egg mixture into cheese sauce in saucepan.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Return to pot.
Stir cheese sauce into pasta in pot. Transfer to prepared baking dish. do ahead Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake pasta until cheese sauce is bubbling around edges and some ends of pasta are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
Let stand 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Baked Penne with Three Cheeses image

Provided by Antonia Lofaso

Categories main-dish

Time 1h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

Kosher salt
1 pound penne rigate pasta
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon seasoned salt, such as Lawry's
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
1/2 pound shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs (preferably panko)

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare the penne rigate according to the package directions, minus 1 or 2 minutes of cooking time (see Cook's Note). Drain, then pour the pasta into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking pan.
In a 4-quart saucepan, melt the butter on medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour until it's dissolved. Add the cream to the saucepan. Add the nutmeg, seasoned salt, and black pepper and whisk the mixture until it's warmed through.
Reduce the heat to low, and add the mozzarella, Cheddar, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir until you have a smooth cheese sauce.
Pour the sauce over the pasta and top with the breadcrumbs.
Bake for about 40 minutes, until the top turns a golden brown.